CDOT sends a giant, high message with joint in downtown Denver

Officials hope to deter drivers from driving high

Denver7 reporter Brendaliss Gonzalez tells us CDOT just put up a new attention-grabbing billboard near the busy mall in order to raise awareness of driving while high.

KMGH

DENVER -- Welcome to Denver! Would you like a giant joint? You can find one hanging from a building in downtown Denver -- and it's there to send a message.

The billboard, placed along the 16th St. Mall, is a part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) latest attempt to bring awareness about the dangers of driving while high.

The 28-foot billboard hangs from the Marriott Courtyard hotel building off Curtis Street and the 16th St. Mall. A 3D image of a crashed car hangs in the middle, shaped in the form of a marijuana joint.

At the bottom there’s a message that reads “Hits lead to hits, don’t drive high.”

There's now giant joint hanging from a downtown Denver building & it even glows in the dark. Hear why@6. pic.twitter.com/C9cr0kYXfr

“I think there’s a false sense of security among marijuana users that they can drive safely high,” said Sam Cole, CDOT communications manager.

A CDOT survey shows some 55 percent of marijuana users admitted to driving high. The Colorado State patrol reports that in 2016, nearly one-in-five DUIs in the state involves marijuana.

CDOT hopes the billboard will grab the attention of both locals and tourists alike.

“This is a great location,” said Cole, regarding the 16th St. Mall, “you've got six marijuana dispensaries within a mile of this location. Also, there a lot of hotels around here and at [the] height of the tourist season we know there are going to be a lot of tourists who may not be familiar with the dangers of driving high.”

The sign grabbed Reye’s Saucedo’s attention.

“I think it sends a more powerful message rather than just an actual TV ad or something like that,” he said.